Sheet Metal Punch

[metaldad]

i have a few places, on the my houses' flashing, i'd like to join 2 pieces of tin, without a screw or rivet. i don't want to perforate either/ both pieces.
on a diy store bought sheet metal fitting, you can see (4) 3/16 punches / divots that hold this side of the tee together.
malco's site, doesnt show a tool that does that?
coupla union tinners i asked, stated its a shop tool. not a plier type device, like a whitney, which i tried. didnt work.
although thinking about it, if i had a spare die, fill it almost to the top with a solder, and the punch, grind down its dimple.
whaddya think?

 

[whateg01]

Without clearance, a punch would shear the edges before it passes the upper edge of the die. The punch needs to be smaller by 2x the combined thickness of the metal.

 

[4 FN 27]

In the Precision Sheet Metal business it is called a Tog-L-Loc.

https://www.lswsgroup.com/dev/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/btm-catalog-940-tog-l-loc-tooling.pdf

 

[Jim greengo]

Buy a spot welder from harbor freight.

 

[whateg01]

Buy a spot welder from harbor freight.

If using galvanized metal, the zinc can make it difficult it impossible to get a solid weld. Plus you lose the protection the zinc provides

 

[Jim greengo]

If using galvanized metal, the zinc can make it difficult it impossible to get a solid weld. Plus you lose the protection the zinc provides

Hit it with some galvanizing spray.

 

[whateg01]

Hit it with some galvanizing spray.

Doesn't get between the sheets

 

[Jim greengo]

Doesn't get between the sheets

If they're overlapped correctly water shouldn't get between them.

 

[whateg01]

If they're overlapped correctly water shouldn't get between them.

Tell that to anybody who's ever repaired a pinch weld on a car!

 

[matthew]

Galvanizing acts as a sacrificial anode - the zinc also protects areas where coverage is poor. Cars are not galvanized. Galvanneal (which has been annealed to form a zinc iron alloy on the surface rather than pure zinc) is better able to be painted over, and is good but less corrosion resistant than galvanized if not painted.

Toggle locks form a mushroom shaped head. The tool is more complicated than just a punch, to flare out the area. I don’t quite get why not use a pop rivet - it will have similar clearance required and be pretty functionally equivalent.

 

[metaldad]

rivets leak. screws leak. no clearance, clarance
galvanized spray (i dont know why id ever use it in this case) is the wrong color
no velding, its on flashing already installed on the house. and its 30 gage. thin aluminum.
i was able to make a bigger piece, bent a 90 on 1 side, and slid it under the siding
thanks for the replies.
i would unnerstand that a hand held plier type device is unobtainable
always interesting how a thread weaves

 

[Snip's]

Norlok / Rigid battery powered tool.... Maybe locate a tool rental company that has them...

 

[metaldad]

that, is excellent! thanks for sharing

 

[matthew]

There’s a lot of bad pop rivets out there. Some higher quality ones do exist.

Although I’d actually be more worried about moisture from the overlap of the two materials (I want to say capillary action, but it’s a different word I’m looking for) than the rivet.

I’d definitely make a test coupon before using button punches on aluminum. Can be less ductile than steel and have issues with cracking and tearing.

 

[Jim greengo]

If using galvanized metal, the zinc can make it difficult it impossible to get a solid weld. Plus you lose the protection the zinc provides

People have been spotted welding galvanized duct work together for a really long time.

 

[whateg01]

People have been spotted welding galvanized duct work together for a really long time.

I've had problems with the couple times I tried so I gave up on it.

 

[Jim greengo]

Tell that to anybody who's ever repaired a pinch weld on a car!

Totally differant situation.
If you have water running uphill under the flashing on your roof,might be time to find yourself a differant installer.

 

[Jim greengo]

rivets leak. screws leak. no clearance, clarance
galvanized spray (i dont know why id ever use it in this case) is the wrong color
no velding, its on flashing already installed on the house. and its 30 gage. thin aluminum.
i was able to make a bigger piece, bent a 90 on 1 side, and slid it under the siding
thanks for the replies.
i would unnerstand that a hand held plier type device is unobtainable
always interesting how a thread weaves

Art

rivets leak. screws leak. no clearance, clarance
galvanized spray (i dont know why id ever use it in this case) is the wrong color
no velding, its on flashing already installed on the house. and its 30 gage. thin aluminum.
i was able to make a bigger piece, bent a 90 on 1 side, and slid it under the siding
thanks for the replies.
i would unnerstand that a hand held plier type device is unobtainable
always interesting how a thread weaves

Maybe you could have mentioned the part about it being aluminum instead of galvanized tin like normal flashing in the beginning of the story?

 

[metaldad]

Art

Maybe you could have mentioned the part about it being aluminum instead of galvanized tin like normal flashing in the beginning of the story?

i see i wrote tin.
whaddi know about sheet metal? im a fitter
aluminum, steel, same ****, break out the band aids, i see blood in my future.
my bad

 

[danski0224]

Norlok / Rigid battery powered tool.... Maybe locate a tool rental company that has them...

That's awesome.